Video and blog: SailGP Day 2
Here we go again!
After a scintillating start to SailGP season 2, the eight competing nations — Australia, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and the United States — return to the Great Sound to renew rivalries today.
Action resumes at 2pm with two more fleet races, with the top three teams advancing through to the winners-take-all final showdown.
Can anybody stop defending champions Australia, who laid down an ominous warning with a sweep of three straight victories on Friday.
Will we see an improvement from likes of Great Britain, United States and, particularly, New Zealand and Denmark who all struggled at different points throughout the first day?
Could we see Japan, France or Spain continue their encouraging early form in upsetting some of the more fancied teams and even perhaps claim a race win?
All will be revealed with The Royal Gazette following all the action in this live blog.
A quick look at the standings ahead of Day 2:
• Quick reminder of today’s format:
•Just 15 minutes to go until the start of race 4. Conditions looking good with winds presently at 15.7 knots.. the F50s will be sporting the 18 meter wings...should mean faster speeds but also makes capsizes more of a risk!
Heading into race day 2 like......
• Gusts of 44kmph projected during today’s races.....some teams have never sailed with the new 18 meter wings so we could be seeing some truly white knuckle racing or as Japan helm Nathan Outteridge predicted “carnage”....
• All eyes will be on the unbeaten Australia but don’t discount dark horses Japan, France and Spain who surprised a few yesterday! You’ve also got to remain wary of an angry Sir Ben Ainslie who will be desperate to make up for a disappointing opening day, as will Jimmy Spithill and the United States!
• Rumours of damage to Japan’s F50, while Spain are also reporting issues just moments before race 4.
RACE 4
• Teams in the start box.....here we go....
• Brilliant start by Spain but they are handed a penalty for crossing the start line too early....they have to drop back two-boat lengths....
• Around mark 1 and it is Great Britain leading the way ahead of Australia and New Zealand.
• Great Britain picking up where they left off from yesterday’s final race, where they led the majority of the way before being caught by Australia. Can Sir Ben Ainslie hold on this time around?
• Slight mistake around the mark by Britain has handed Australia a chance....and they’ve taken it! Australia now leading on leg 3. Meanwhile New Zealand up to 3rd ahead of USA and Japan.
• Clear frustration from Ainslie who can only watch on as Australia seize the advantage.
• BIG DRAMA!....Japan and USA collide!....late manoeuvre from Outteridge results in a collision and both boats dropping off their foils!
• More drama and another close call!.....Australia don’t give Britain enough space heading to the mark resulting in a penalty.....advantage Britain!
• Much improved performance from Peter Burling and New Zealand who are up into third narrowly ahead of Spain and France. Japan struggling at the back of the pack after that earlier collision
• USA CAPSIZE!.....disaster for Jimmy Spithill and his crew.......
•Smooth sailing for Britain who hold a clear lead in this 5th leg.....As I said earlier, always remain wary of an angry Sir Ben Ainslie!
•Into the penultimate leg and it’s Britain ahead of Australia, Spain, New Zealand, France and Denmark.....USA and Japan are out of this race!
• Victory for Britain! Perfect start for Sir Ben Ainslie!....Australia take second place, with another impressive performance from Spain, who take third. New Zealand pip France to fourth with Denmark wrapping up proceedings in sixth.
• USA are back upright after their dramatic capsize....too early to see what, if any damage has been sustained ahead of the next race.
•Really important victory for Great Britain, puts them back in the mix for a place in the winner-takes-all final race; sitting joint third with Spain on 27 points. Meanwhile, France sit second on 29 points, ten adrift of clear leaders Australia.
• Japan and USA still hold a chance if they can continue racing today but Denmark and New Zealand now have no chance of claiming a top-three finish here in Bermuda.
• Uncharacteristic mistake from Nathan Outteridge resulted in this collision between Japan and the USA...
• Japan having to pump water out of one of their hulls to keep their F50 afloat. USA still assessing the damage to their F50 following not only the collision with Japan but also a dramatic capsize!
RACE 5
• Just six boats starting race 5
•Ridiculously close start to the race resulting in a triple penalty for Spain....the drama continues!
• New Zealand seize the early lead ahead of Great Britain and Denmark. Australia in fourth, with France narrowly behind
• The battle for a place in the final in full force here!
• Great Britain led on leg 2 but an incident with New Zealand sees them drop to fourth!.....Australia lead ahead of France and Spain
• As things stand France and Spain would qualify alongside Australia for the final.....work to do for Great Britain!
• Spain now into the lead....fantastic racing from the young Spanish squad!
• Spanish helm Robertson almost overboard!....a sharp tack to avoid Australia sends Robertson flying inboard but he holds on...close call!
• Gate 3 and it’s Australia followed by Great Britain and France.....that mistake by Spain could prove decisive...turning point in this race for sure!
• Penultimate leg and Australia are narrowly ahead of Great Britain....the real battle is just behind as France and Spain continue to fight for third place and secure their place in the final
• Poor tack from France as they nosedive into the water!...Great Britain follow suit but Ainslie manages to keep the boat on it’s foil.
• Australia take the victory ahead of Great Britain...
• Here come Spain! sprint to the line as they pip France for third....late, late drama!
• Australia and Great Britain into the final but who will join them out of France and Spain?.....by my maths, France should have just done enough but reports of a possible protest could change that!
• Drama-fuelled action here but at the end of race 5 it is Australia, Great Britain and France who progress through to the winner-takes-all final.
• A close call for Spanish helm Robertson who almost went overboard...
THE FINAL
• Here we go, winner-takes-all battle has begun!
• Early advantage Great Britain ahead of Australia with France chasing hard
• Ainslie wins the first confrontation with Slingsby to edge ahead as they race down to the mark
• Speeds of up to 83kph into the second gate and Great Britain retain their slight lead over Australia...intriguing head-to-head battle between Ainslie and Slingsby here!
• All about composure and keeping the F50 smooth through the tack and jibe manoeuvres...Great Britain forcing Australia into a slight mistake
• Heading to the windward gate and Australia and Great Britain have opted for different sides of the course...whose decision will prove to be the right one?
• A poor decision from Ainslie perhaps....Australia have halved the gap to Great Britain heading into leg 4. Just 90 metres between them now
• More than halfway through the race and still far too close to call who will win this....
• Great Britain hold the narrow advantage through gate 4 and it’s a straight drag race back down the course as they opt for different sides once again!
• France still chasing hard but it looks a straight shoot-out between Great Britain and Australia for glory...
• Penultimate leg and Britain’s lead stands at 150m over Australia....two more manoeuvres to undergo...can Britain hold their nerve?
• Sprint to the finish line and it’s Great Britain with the lead over Australia....
•GREAT BRITAIN ARE CHAMPIONS!....what a comeback from Sir Ben Ainslie and his crew! Australia finish just four seconds behind with France in third.
• That’s the beauty of this SailGP format! From suffering a poor first day of racing, Great Britain perform an incredible turnaround and clinch glory on day 2!
• In contrast, Australia dominated much of the racing, winning 4 out 6 races, only to come away in second overall!
• They may not have been in contention in the final, but encouraging signs for France ahead of round 2 in Italy.
• As the Bermuda Sail Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess comes to a close, the championship standings have Great Britain top on 10 points, followed by Australia (9pts), France (8pts), Spain (7pts), New Zealand (6pts), Denmark (5pts), Japan (4pts) and United States (3pts)
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